Fitting in by standing out
One of my favorite podcasts is How I Built This and at the end, Guy Raz always asks:
How much of your success do you attribute to luck, or just hard work?
I love thinking about this. Your words manifest your reality so be careful of what you say (and think). I’ve started to reframe and rethink my lucky career breaks and recognize them to be hard work in preparing for that moment.
I had a bracelet made on Etsy that was a simple metal band with the word FOCUS written on it. I wore it so much that it broke and so I ordered a new one.
Today, I got an email from a company that might be the opposite of Macro-Hard about my work collaboration vs focus time. The emails says this:
23 minutes to refocus? I believe it. So many business productivity books I read constantly preach against multitasking. Our brains can’t and don’t multitask. They switch but the switching doesn’t happen as fast as we’d think or like. In fact, according to the email I got, it takes 23 minutes.
I worked in the same industry for almost 20 years. I had so much legacy and historical knowledge along with long term customer relationships. For hundreds of folks, I was their first Zeiss Calypso basic software trainer. They learned the ropes from me and I felt appreciated. I watched colleagues switch from the manufacturer to the distributor to the customer and I knew who was who in the zoo.
When it was time for me to make a big career shift, I was scared. For the first time in a very long time, I wouldn’t be the one who knew everyone. I wouldn’t have all those “remember when… ” stories. I wouldn’t be the one with the answers anymore.
I shifted from the world of manufacturing and engineering to be an analyst at one of the largest banks in the US. All of a sudden, I was the “new kid.” In fact, they called me an “off the street” hire because I didn’t already come from another bank. I didn’t know how an analyst was “supposed” to act. I didn’t know status quo. I didn’t have preconceived notions. I didn’t know the rules I was supposed to follow.
I knew the basic principles of my job and I went full steam ahead. I was persistent. I asked a lot of questions. I asked for helped. I was eager to learn. I wasn’t afraid to speak up when a process didn’t make sense. It turns out that my attitude was refreshing. It turns out that I was getting more done than other folks. I didn’t create imaginary barriers and I just worked to the best of my ability.
In the end, I learned that even though legacy information is important, sometimes a fresh perspective can be even more respected and appreciated. I put too much emphasis on what I thought was important because I personally didn’t know any other world but the one I was in for so long.